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How to Make 

A Small Vegetable 
Garden 

Simple and Successful Methods 

May be used up to June 1st in 
the Vicinity of New York 




By RALPH LYON 



There is a threatened shortage in the food crops of the 
country. Small vegetable gardens, if properly planted 
and cared for, will greatly relieve this condition. Al- 
though the planting season is well advanced, a success- 
ful garden may be started now. 



NEW YORK 

The Bancroft Company^ Publishers 



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Several years ago the writer planted his first vege- 
table garden. He greatly felt the need of some simple 
directions, which were supplied neither by garden 
books nor seed catalogues. The methods zvhich he 
is now using zcith great success are set forth in this 
pamphlet. 




©C!.A462323 



MAY -9 1917 



Copyright, igry-.b.v Ralph Lyon. 



HOW TO MAKE A SMALL VEGETABLE 
GARDEN. 

You do not need to own a farm in order to raise 
vegetables ; a sunny back yard or front yard will do, 
or better yet, a corner in an adjoining vacant lot ; in 
fact you can use any plot of ground provided it has 
sun during a good part of the day and is well drained. 
Sod or weeds will not matter if planting is done by 
the Trench Method. 

Doing the work yourself you will not only pro- 
duce, in delicious fresh vegetables, from five to ten 
times the value of seed and fertilizer but will enjoy 
healthful exercise and the knowledge that you are 
helping the country in time of need. 

TOOLS, FERTILIZER AND SEEDS RE- 
QUIRED. 

1 spade. 

1 iron rake. 

Yi load of rotted stable manure (Purchased for 
about $2.00 from livery stable or florist. Sheep 
manure or prepared fertilizer may be substituted if 
mixed with proper proportion of earth.) 

Yz pint Golden Bantam Corn. 

Yz pint Burpee's Stringless Green Pod Bush Beans. 

1 packet LUCUUUS Swisschard. (These seeds, or simi- 

1 packet St. Vallery Carrots. 'lLlttr\^.%x.r.. 

1 packet Beets. any seed store.) 

1 packet Bush Crookneck Squash. 

1 packet Early White Bush Squash. 

2 dozen Cos or Boston Market Lettuce Plants. 

1 dozen Tomato Plants. (These plants may be 

4 Fo-cr Plants purchased for about $1.00 

^ ^&& i laillb. at any seed store.) 

TRENCH METHOD OF PLANTING. 

Remove weeds or sod. Cut the latter into squares, 
for this purpose using the spade as an axe and piling 
the sod in an unused corner where it can rot for use 
next year as fertilizer. 

For Corn, Carrots, Egg Plant and Tomatoes, dig 
a trench 25 feet long by 10 inches wide by 10 inches 
deep. Fill in with about 5 inches of manure, break 

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down the sides of the trench and mix this earth with 
the manure. Tread down by walking in the trench 
and fill it to the proper level for planting. (See illus- 
tration.) 

For Beans, Beets, Lettuce, Swisschard and Squash, 
dig a trench 25 feet long by 10 inches wide by 8 
inches deep. Fill in with about 4 inches of manure, 
and proceed as before. 

Trenches should be dug from 2 to 2^ feet apart. 

Vegetable gardens are usually started in March but 
by using the Trench Method, a successful garden 
may be planted up to June 1st. 

CORN: (Golden Bantam.) 

This may be planted from May 1 to July 1. Plant 
a 25 foot double row as early as possible and 12^ 
feet every two or three weeks thereafter. Fill trench 
to within 3 inches of top (see illustration), drop seed 
every 2 inches on each side of trench, cover to level 
of surrounding ground and firm down with end of 
rake or a board. When plants are 2 or 3 inches high, 
thin out to stand about 8 inches apart. Remove 
suckers which grow at the base of the stalk. Culti- 
vate about once a week by loosening the earth with 
the rake. Pick when kernels are fully developed 
when they are usually a light yellow color. This 
Corn, however, is excellent even when overripe. 

BEANS : (Burpee's Stringless Green Pod Bush.) 

These may be planted from May 7 to July 15. Plant 
a 25 foot double row as early as possible and 12^ 
feet every two or three weeks thereafter. Fill trench 
(prepared as described) to within 2 inches of top, 
drop seed every 2 inches on each side of trench, cover 
to level of surrounding ground and firm. Thin out 
plants to stand 6 inches apart. Cultivate with rake 
about once a week, but not after a rain or when the 
plants are covered with dew. 

SWISSCHARD : (Lucullus.) 

This is to be used instead of Spinach and may be 
planted from April 1 to July 1. Plant a 25 foot 
double row as early as possible. Fill the trench (pre- 



PLANTING CORN BY TRENCH METHOD. 



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pared as described) to the top with loose earth. 
Make two drills or furrows 8 inches apart and 1 inch 
deep. In these plant seed about every Yz inch, cover 
with earth and firm. Thin out plants to stand 4 
inches apart and cultivate about once a week. Cut 
large outside leaves only, and plants will bear the 
whole season. 

CARROTS: (St. Vallery.) 

These may be planted from April 1 to June 1. 
Plant a 12^ foot double row (prepared as described) 
as early as possible and make additional plantings 
every few weeks, if space permits. Fill the trench 
to the top with loose earth. Make two drills or fur- 
rows 8 inches apart and 1 inch deep. In these plant 
seed about every ^ inch, cover with earth and firm. 
Thin out plants to stand 4 inches apart and cultivate 
about once a week. 

BEETS : 

These may be planted from April to June 1. Plant 
a 123^ foot double row (prepared as described) as 
early as possible and make additional plantings every 
few weeks if space permits. Fill the trench to the 
top with loose earth. Make two drills 01 furrows 
8 inches apart and 1 inch deep. In these plant seed 
about every J/2 inch, cover with earth and firm. Thin 
out plants to stand 4 inches apart and cultivate about 
once a week. 

SQUASH: (Bush Crookneck and Early White 
Bush.) 

These varieties may be planted from May 15 to 
June 15. Plant 3 hills of each variety and a few 
hills every two or three weeks thereafter, if space per- 
mits. Fill trench (prepared as described) to top with 
loose earth, drop 8 to 12 seeds in groups every 3 feet, 
cover with y^ inch of loose dirt and firm lightly with 
the hand. Thin out to 3 best plants to a hill. Culti- 
vate every week as long as possible without injury 
to the plants. Squash bugs are best removed by hand 
picking. 



A SMALL VEGETABLE GARDEN STARTED 

LATE IN THE SEASON. 

Planted by Trench Method Plot 25 x 30 feet. 



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LETTUCE PLANTS : (Cos and Boston Market.) 

These may be set out froin May 1 to June 1. Fill 
the trench (prepared as described) to top with loose 
earth. Set the plants in 2 rows 8 inches apart, the 
plants standing 6 inches apart. Cultivate every week. 

TOMATO PLANTS: 

These may be set out from May 7 to June 1. Fill 
trench (prepared as described) to top with loose earth. 

7 



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Wrap the stalks with browi ^ 021 4Qg ^jo „ 

cut-worm and set plants in center ot treiii^i. ., ^ • 
inches apart. Protect from sun for a day or two. 
Cultivate frequently. Plants will do best with sup- 
ports. 

EGG PLANT: 

These may be set out from May 7 to June 1. Fill 
trench (prepared as described) to top with loose 
earth. .Set plants in center of trench 3 feet apart. 
Cultivate frequently. 

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: 

In very dry weather watering is necessary. Thii 
is best done by using a hose or letting a stream of 
water run down the trenches. Water thoroughly and 
seldom. Frequent cultivation is more necessary than 
water or fertilizer. Moisten the earth if dry when 
setting out plants. 

OTHER USEFUL TOOLS: 

A Garden Fork, Hoe, Long handled Cultivator and 
Trowel may be found useful. For a larger garden 
you will be repaid by the purchase of a small Wheel- 
Cultivator. These are made with excellent seeding 
attachments. A wheelbarrow is necessary if much 
fertilizer or sod has to be moved. 

OTHER VARIETIES OF VEGETABLES: 

Peas are an excellent early vegetable but for good 
results should be planted the latter part of March or 
early in April, although they can be planted up to 
May 15. Two good varieties are Daniel O'Rourke for 
earliest planting and Gradus for later. Cultural direc- 
tions given for Beans apply to these, except that the 
plants should stand 3 inches apart. Peas are more 
or less of a luxury as most varieties require brush or 
netting for support. 

Cabbage and Celery Plants and Onion Sets will do 
well in any loose soil. There are numerous other 
varieties of the vegetables heretofore enumerated but 
this list will produce excellent and sure results. The 
seed shortage this year makes it imperative that no 
seeds are wasted. 



